NervousPete wrote:
That's what hit me hard about my uncle's death at 33, when I realised that he'd never be able to watch the John Woo film I lent him. Or any film ever again. It's those strange detailed realisations that kick you in the stomach.
One of my close school-friends died when we all about 21/22 years old from a brain tumour. Some of our group compiled a CD of his favourite tunes to play at the church, so just before the coffin was lead in, we were all sat in the pews listening to 'Insomnia' by Faithless. A couple of us sniggered at having that kind of music on in a church and then it hit me that if Chris had been with us, he'd have found it hilarious. That was upsetting. Even now, almost ten years later, I find his death upsetting. I very occasionally visit his grave and it's hard having to read the bit that says "Died aged 22".
It's a combination of knowing that you'll never see them again: in Chris's case it was knowing that I'd never again meet him down the pub or have a laugh at the latest stupid thing he'd been up to. In Owen's it's knowing I'll never read any more posts from him, be enthused by his iPhone game reviews (seriously, his opinions have been directly responsible for many of the games I've bought on my iPhone), read his latest Twitter updates or see his latest Minecraft creations.
And then there's the knowledge of all they'll never experience themselves. New games, films, books, comics, new technology, meetups and all the silly stuff we all take so seriously here and we'll get to see it and they won't. But for me it's also knowing that Owen and Patience evidently wanted children and now that will never happen.
But enough moping. Owen was one of my favourite posters both here, and on WoS and Rllmuk, because he came across as a genuinely wonderful person. The things he posted and his creations in Minecraft serve as a reminder of that wonderful person who had a positive effect on a whole load of people he'd never even met. So, if he was wrong and God/Allah/Flying Spaghetti Monster does exist, I'm sure he'd overlook the whole atheism thing and give him a prime spot in the Great Arcade in the Sky, where all the machines are constantly on Free Play.
Make sure you lot have a drink, watch Star Wars and many Rock Band games in his honour on Saturday and hopefully at some point we can do something formal in the guy's memory.